The present invention relates to the carpet extractor arts. It finds particular application in conjunction with the cleaning of floors and above-floor surfaces, such as upholstery, stairs, and the like, using a liquid cleaning fluid.
Carpet extractors of the type which apply a cleaning solution to a floor surface and then recover dirty fluid from the surface are widely used for cleaning carpeted and wooden floors in both industrial and household settings. Generally, a recovery tank is provided on the extractor for storing the recovered fluid. The recovery tank is often bulky in order to store a sufficient quantity of the recovered fluid before go emptying. A vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump, is mounted to a base frame of the extractor and applies a vacuum to a nozzle adjacent the floor surface. For ease of manipulating the extractor, the recovery tank may also be mounted to the base. The recovery tank and vacuum source are then generally vertically aligned. This provides a bulky base which tends to impede access of the extractor to low, overhung spaces, such as beneath chairs, and the like. For cleaning such areas, a low-profile extractor base is desirable.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop a new and improved carpet extractor housing which accommodates a large capacity recovery tank, suction fans and fan motor while providing access to hard to reach areas. The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others, while providing better and more advantageous results.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an upright carpet extractor of the type which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid therefrom is provided. The carpet extractor includes a recovery tank for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid and a housing. The housing includes a socket for selectively receiving the recovery tank. The socket comprises a pair of opposed side walls and a rear wall. A chamber is located rearward of the socket for holding a suction fan and motor assembly. The rear wall of the socket separates the socket from the chamber.
In accordance with more limited aspects of this aspect of the present invention, the chamber includes a forward compartment for receiving a suction fan portion and a rearward compartment for receiving a motor portion of the suction fan and motor assembly. optionally, the housing also includes a first pocket, on one side of the chamber, for receiving a pump for pressurizing the cleaning fluid and a second pocket, on another side of the chamber, for receiving a motor for rotating a brushroll, the two pockets being positioned rearward of the socket and defined in a bottom surface of the housing. The housing may include a first locking member for engaging a second locking member on the recovery tank to lock the recovery tank to the housing.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a carpet extractor is provided. The extractor includes a reservoir for storing and providing a supply of cleaning solution and a base assembly. The base assembly includes a distributor fluidly connected with the reservoir for selectively applying the cleaning solution to a floor surface to be cleaned, a nozzle for removing dirty cleaning solution from the floor surface, a recovery tank, fluidly connected with the nozzle for collecting the dirty cleaning solution from the nozzle, a vacuum source fluidly connected with the recovery tank for drawing a vacuum on the recovery tank, and a housing for holding the nozzle, recovery tank, and vacuum source. The housing includes a socket for selectively receiving the recovery tank and a chamber, located rearward of the socket, for holding the vacuum source.
In accordance with more limited aspects of this aspect of the present invention, the extractor further includes a pump connected between the reservoir and the distributor, and the housing includes a pocket, positioned rearward of the socket and on one side of the chamber, which receives the pump. The extractor may further comprise a brushroll and motor therefore, the housing including an indentation, rearward of the socket, and on another side of the chamber from the pocket, for the brushroll motor. The vacuum source may include a motor driven by a suction fan and the chamber may include a suction fan cavity and an air inlet cavity. The housing is preferably formed from lower and upper sections, the lower section including a lower portion of the chamber. The upper section of the housing is secured on the lower section of the housing and defines upper portions of the suction fan-holding cavity and the motor-holding cavity.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a carpet extractor is provided. The extractor includes a base assembly and a handle assembly pivotally mounted thereto. A recovery tank is selectively mounted on the base assembly. A brushroll is mounted on the base assembly. The base assembly includes a housing having a socket defined by a front wall, a pair of opposed side walls, and a rear wall. The socket selectively holds the recovery tank. A first compartment, located rearwardly of the socket, holds a fan and a second compartment, located rearwardly of the first compartment, holds a-motor for driving the fan.
In accordance with more limited aspects of this aspect of the present invention, the first and second compartments are axially aligned. A cleaning solution supply pump supplies pressurized cleaning fluid to a distributor and the housing includes a pocket, preferably located rearward of the socket, for holding the pump. The pocket is located on one side of first chamber and an indentation for a brushroll motor is located on another side of first and second compartments. The extractor may include a third compartment, located forwardly of the first compartment, which serves as an air inlet chamber for the fan.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a carpet extractor is provided. The extractor includes a base housing, a handle mounted on the base housing and pivotable between an upright storage position and a reclined working position, a cleaning solution recovery tank carried by and selectively removable from the base housing, and a cleaning solution supply tank carried by and selectively removable from the handle. The recovery tank and the supply tank are so mounted on the base housing and handle, respectively, that the recovery tank can be removed from the base housing even when the handle is in the upright storage position.
In accordance with more limited aspects of this aspect of the present invention, the supply tank is so mounted on the handle that the supply tank can be removed from the handle even when the handle is in the upright storage position. The base housing may include a first socket for selectively accommodating the recovery tank and the handle a second socket for selectively accommodating the supply tank. The extractor may include a motor/fan assembly carried by the base housing, and positioned rearwardly of the first socket on the base housing. A suction nozzle may be carried by the base housing and be secured to the recovery tank. A cleaning fluid distributor bar may be carried by the base housing and be located rearwardly of the suction nozzle. A brushroll may be rotatably mounted on the base housing and be located rearwardly of the suction nozzle.
One advantage of the present invention is the provision of a base housing for a carpet extractor which defines a socket for receiving a recovery tank and a chamber, located rearward of the socket for holding a suction fan and motor assembly. The positioning of the socket and chamber permits the accommodation of a large-capacity recovery tank while maintaining a low-profile base.
Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a low-profile carpet extractor which can be maneuvered beneath chairs, beds, and the like for a more thorough cleaning.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a carpet extractor base having forward and rearward chamber sections for allowing the motor portion to be located rearward of the fan, along a horizontal axis, thus providing a low-profile base.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a carpet extractor base having a first pocket for receiving a pump for pressurizing the cleaning fluid and a second pocket for receiving a brushroll motor, the positioning of the two pockets being such as to avoid limiting the capacity of the recovery tank.
A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of a carpet extractor base having a rear portion on an upper side of which is provided a chamber having a first section which serves as a fan inlet and a second section for receiving a fan assembly. On a lower side of the base rear portion are provided two spaced pockets for receiving a pump and a brushroll motor. Thus an efficient use is made of otherwise wasted space.
A still further advantage of the present invention is the provision of a carpet extractor base in which a fluid pump and a brushroll motor are positioned on opposite sides of a centrally mounted motor and fan assembly and in which all three of these components are located rearwardly of a recovery tank. This construction allows the carpet extractor base to have a low profile.
A yet still further advantage of the present invention is the provision of a carpet extractor base which includes a locking member, in the form of an upstanding flange. The locking member cooperates with a carrying handle of a recovery tank selectively to lock the handle to the base.
An additional advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright extractor having a recovery tank and a cleaning fluid tank wherein either tank can be separately removed from the carpet extractor even when the handle thereof is in the full upright position. In other words, the two tanks do not overhang each other and either, or both, can be removed in any order, regardless of the orientation of the handle in relation to the base.
Still other benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.